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I never dreamed of writing a memoir. I just always had words in me. When I was seven years old I started to write poems, and the words somehow seemed stronger scribbled in my small notebook. In middle school my teacher constantly reminded me: “Speak up, Lene! We can’t hear what you’re saying when you whisper.” Spoken words seemed to come with a struggle, while written words danced lightly as feathers on the page. Growing up in Sweden, I read everything I could find and I dreamed of holding a book in my hands with words in it that came from me, something that would perhaps last after I was gone.

For even at a young age, I felt a strange sense of urgency. Like I wouldn’t live long and I needed to hurry. But I couldn’t find my story, my voice, or, for that matter, my strength. My weakness made me…

Not all literary agents are created equal. Agent Kristin Nelson and author Karen Dionne have seen the good, the bad, and the truly ugly. In this article series, “Think Like an Agent,” they pool their expertise.

Kristin:

Simply put, a literary agent is the person an author hires to manage his or her publishing career.

Literary agenting is actually an odd career. It’s the only job in which the the agent picks the client first, and then the client decides whether or not to hire the agent. What other job is remotely like that? None. It’s unique to this industry.

Regardless, once an agent offers you representation, saying “yes” and hiring your agent is a business decision—one with real consequences that directly impact the success of your career.

Imagine the thrill of that first published book: your name on the cover, your words filling each page. Who needs a major publisher to promote and distribute when you are brimming with enthusiasm and have put aside a small sum for travel expenses? My novel, The Bone Weaver, semi-self-published by a small indie press, was going to sell; I would make that happen. And there would be bookstore readings and signings, flashbulbs (we're talking 2001, so no cell phone shots) and fans lining up with my novel in hand.

Publish and they will come.

My first big invitation was from a writers' conference; I spent hours choosing the best passages to read, and then timing myself to avoid, heaven forbid, exceeding my limit by even ten seconds. Settled in with a panel of published (!) authors, I became confused when one of them grabbed the microphone and asked everyone to sing Amazing Grace. I was supposed to have a theme song and no one told me?

Last year, an old friend called me out of the blue. It had been ages since we'd talked, so I was thrilled to hear from him. He said he'd decided to write a novel and wanted to bounce the premise off me. Knowing how funny this guy is, I couldn't wait to hear his idea—and I wasn't disappointed. What he had in mind was hilarious. I told him as much, wished him the best, and said to keep me posted.

I e-mailed him on his birthday a couple months ago and asked how the novel was going. He said he'd written a couple chapters but had gotten sidetracked by other things, so it never really got off the ground. Needless to say, I was disappointed. But I wasn't surprised.

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When people ask me if I specialize in editing one literary genre, my standard response is, “You name it, I’ve edited it.” One of the things I love most about my job is that I get to read so many different kinds of books that I might not otherwise have come across on my own, so it’s an easy question to answer. Where I get a bit tongue-tied, however, is when an author I’ve been working with for a while asks me, “Is my book good?” Today, I’m going to explain why that line of questioning isn’t…

Management is the art of being organized for the optimum utilization of the facilities and resources. The objective of the management in business scenario is to invest minimum in order to draw maximum. The art of management is taught to the students at various educational levels such as graduation, post graduation and doctorate. The students are also required to carry out practical projects in order to acquire an enriching field experience.…

"My worst turnout was at a really nice bookstore in my home state -- and included two people I didn't know and one friend from high school. Oh how I wish it had only been strangers to witness it. But that's when you take a deep breath,…"